TYPES AND BREEDS OF 

 FARM ANIMALS 



PART I— THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

 CHAPTER I 



THE PREHISTORIC HORSE 



The existence of the prehistoric horse, in the light of compara- 

 tively recent investigations, has become thoroughly well known 

 and comprehended by scientific men. The discoveries of the 

 Whitney expedition, under the direction of the American Mu- 

 seum of Natural History of New York, have provided a wealth 

 of most valuable material in this field. 1 



The first discovery of the prehistoric horse in America was 

 made by Mitchell in 1826 near the Navesink Highlands in New 

 Jersey, and caused great discussion. About 1850 Dr. Leidy 

 made similar discoveries in Nebraska. Following these came 

 further finds, until late in the nineteenth century the wide dis- 

 tribution of this early horse in North and South America was 

 well understood. Geographically speaking, these remains have 

 been found all over the Southern States, in the Northeastern 

 and Middle States, in California and Oregon, and in greatest 

 abundance in the so-called Bad Lands of Nebraska, Wyoming, 

 and South Dakota. 



1 The author's discussion of this subject is based on the published researches 

 of the American Museum of Natural History, and especially the writings of 

 Professor H. F. Osborn of Columbia University and Dr. W. D. Matthew of the 

 American Museum. The Century Magazine, November, 1904, has a valuable con- 

 tribution on this subject by Professor Osborn. 



